Check against delivery

Statement 

by the Delegation of Ukraine 

under cluster 4 “Conventional weapons” 

of the First Committee of the 81^st session 

of the United Nations General Assembly

(22 October 2026, New York)

Mr. Chair,

Ukraine aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. We would like to make a few additional remarks in our national capacity.

We continue to support the existing international instruments in the field of conventional arms control, including the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons and its International Tracing Instrument, as well as the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management.

Ukraine welcomes the progress achieved by the Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, particularly the adoption by consensus of its substantive report.

We consider the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons the appropriate forum for these discussions and look forward to the Seventh Review Conference adopting an ambitious negotiating mandate, without prejudging the nature of a future instrument.

Mr. Chair,

Russian forces systematically employ a wide range of conventional weapons, including ballistic and cruise missiles, hypersonic missiles, attack drones and cluster munitions, in indiscriminate attacks against Ukrainian cities, residential areas and civilian infrastructure.

Today, on 22 October, Russia once again demonstrated its complete disregard for international humanitarian law.

A Russian ballistic missile equipped with a cluster warhead struck the historic heart of Kyiv, near the Holy Presentation Monastery and the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The attack damaged religious buildings, residential properties, shops, cafés and other civilian infrastructure. There were no military facilities in the vicinity.

These strikes are part of Russia's systematic campaign of terror against the Ukrainian people. They constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law, including the fundamental principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack.

Ukraine calls on the international community to respond decisively by strengthening sanctions against Russia, preventing the transfer of critical technologies and components used in Russian weapons production, and increasing military assistance to Ukraine, particularly air defence systems and ammunition.

Mr. Chair,

Russia's war of aggression is also being sustained by military and military-technical cooperation with Iran and the DPRK. Both countries have supplied Russia with weapons and ammunition.

The DPRK has gone even further by deploying its troops to support Russia's military operations against Ukraine.

Russia continues to use DPRK-origin weapons, including KN-23 ballistic missiles, in attacks against Ukrainian cities.

Such military cooperation, in violation of relevant Security Council resolutions, poses serious threats to international peace and security, extending far beyond Ukraine and the European continent.

We call on all Member States to unequivocally condemn this cooperation, demand full compliance with relevant Security Council resolutions and ensure accountability for violations of international law.

We further call on all States to immediately cease any direct or indirect assistance that enables Russia to sustain its war machine and continue its war of aggression against Ukraine.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.